The invention relates to a hydraulic dashpot particularly adapted to be used for suspendingly supporting a load, such as a pipe line, and specifically a storage housing having a fluid chamber for storing the hydraulic compensating fluid. The storage housing includes at least one valve in a bypass conduit extending from the fluid chamber to the rod and head chambers of the hydraulic dashpot.
Hydraulic dashpots are used to suspendingly support a pipe line because they can accurately provide a slight adjusting force to compensate for or react to slow displacement of the pipe line, e.g., because of a change of temperature. In case of undesired, jerky movements created by unexpected load events, the dashpot causes fluid blocking and immediately insures a nearly rigid connection. The reaction to such load events is controlled by valve or valves mounted in the hydraulic flow line from the storage chamber to the dashpot chambers. At times such valves have to be removed, required and/or inspected. At the same time the hydraulic flow line is opened. Therefore, prior to the removal of the valves from the hydraulic flow lines it is necessary to evacuate the hydraulic fluid from the system or at least from the storage chamber. This is a rather complicated and time-consuming task.